Backfire torch



May 29, 1945.

INVENTORl Reeser SII 0R@ @Trop/vf ys,

UNITED STAT Patented May 29,l 1945 Es PATENT OFFICE BACKFIRE Tonen Robert St.` J. Orl", San Francisco, Calif. applicati@ April'ili, 1944, serial No. 531,095

" 6 claimsj (C1. 15s-+10) for opening said spout to free iiowof fuel therethrough'when the spout is pointed'generally downwardly for dispensing liquid fuel fromth'e fount.

'A still further object of the inventionl is. the

provision of a simple improved-structure 4in `a backre torch for protecting the spout against injury when not in use and for' tightly sealing the fount of the torch against leakage-during handlinggsuch vas in transit to and from a place of use,van d which structure is such asto enable an operator to quickly prepare the torch for use.

yOther objects and advantages will appear in the drawing .and description. I 'v It is to be understood that the. drawing and description are not restrictive of the inventionv but are illustrative of a preferred structure.

In the drawing, I

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of abackfire torch, part of which is brokenaway and in section to show structure otherwise hidden.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the head ofthe'torch in'inverted posin tion with the spout depending from 'said head into the fount of the torch. u Y

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary,v part sectional, part elevational View of the head of the torch with thespout projecting horizontally outwardly therefrom. i

In detail, the invention as illustratedin the drawing .comprises an` oil or' fuel fount I that may be of heavy galvanized iron or` anyy other suitable material. This fountis vertically elongated, having cylindrical sides; a bottom and a top. The said top is formedv with'anVr openingin which is secured an annular colla-r 2 that is formed with a radially inwardly projecting flange 3 for supporting a top plate 4 thereon. The

collar 2 is externally threaded for a similarly internally threaded sealing ringI 5. The sealing ring 5 is formed with a radially inwardly pro* .All

`the saidilange, and said marginal portionand collar for sealing the assembly. Preferably said, marginal portion is, formed with an annular, re-V cess 8 (Figs. l, 2). As gasket 'I is resilient, the pressure applied thereto by tightening the flange 6 of the sealing ring 5 thereagainst will force the material of the` gasket into said recessfor positivelyinsuring against escape of oil past theI I gasket. The top plate 4 is formed withan annu-` lar flange 9 projecting axially thereof. The outer edges of said flange 9 rest on the' flange3 and which flange 3 supports said top plate with its upper surface flush with the upper edge of collar.: (Fig. 1).

The top plate 4 'is centrally formed with aboss III projecting upwardly therefrom and" with a projection II projecting downwardly therefrom-` Within .boss I0 is secured the lower end of an upwardly extending spout I2, while projection II is formed with a passageway I3 that extendsat an angle to end portion lof spout `I2 that is' securedin boss I Il', said 'passageway communi-k eating at its upper rend with the loweiendof the bore Id in spout I2.

'The passageway I3 extends generallypdown-I' wardly, although at a slant relative to the endj ofthe bore I4 with which it communicatesfand an annular ball seat f5 is intermediate theends of said passageway for seating a ballvl that is between said seat and the bore Illof spout I2. As passageway I3 is .of larger diameter thanfthe bore I4 and communicates at an angle with `the latter, the ball will vbe prevented from closing` thebore I4-against flow of oil from the lfount I to thespout when the spout is inverted or when the fount is held inoperative position with the spout directed downwardly. However when the fountis upright as seeninFig, l, the ,ballis automatically seated on seat `'I5-by gravity. l

The fount lis provided atone side with/ a handle I'I for manually holding and manipu` lating Vthe torch, and it is important to note` that when the fount is held substantially horizontal by the handle with the said'handle uppermost,

jecting flange 6 adapted tok extend over the collar Zand the marginalportion of top plate` 4 for holding. an oil. resistant gasltet 1 tightly between the inclination of passageway I3 is. such that the ball I5 will'- automatically rolly against seat ,4

Hence the fount need not be fully restored to .vertical kposition I5to `trap oil in the spout.

asin Fig. l to effect ajseating of ball I6.

The` spout `from boss I0 coaxial with the vertical axisof fount I, or at least parallel with -such axis.' Said spout isy in the form of artube, andsaid tube is i-formed adjacent its upper end with a loop IIBy providing an oil trap. Said: loop preferably pro-, i

I2` preferably extends upwardlyl nozzleIS for ignition by lighted wick 2l.

moved through arhorizontal position in manipulating the torch.

Above loop I8 the spout or'tube continues par` allel with the portion that extends from the loop vto the fount, although said upper end of the spout may be inclined relative to the lower yportion in a direction away from handle I'I, if desired.

Any desired apertured discharge nozzle I9 may `be provided at the upper end of the spout, which plug 30 carried on. plate r4 Iby a chainl` is threaded into said outer end of the passageway l.I3 sealing the same. An oil-.proof gasket 32 secured on plugy 30 provides for an oil-proof seal..

Thus the spout'is protected and the fount is sealed tightly against possible leakage. Having described the invention, I clairn:

1. A torch of the character described compris-y at 4its upper end, avhandle vat one side of said nozzle provides an aperture of the correct size for the vresults desired. Such nozzle may be threaded onto the upper vend ofv thel spout or otherwise removably secured thereto1 in any dev siredmanner. ,1

A'wick holder 23 secured to the upper end of spout `I2 above loop I8 carriesv an igniter'wick ignite fuel oil as the latter discharges' from the spout aperture. Y v L The fount I is provided with a ,dash-proof type y airfinlet Vdevice-22 above handle vVI 'and adja- Y cent thev collar 2. This type of. device `is old,` and is provided with a needle v.valve 4`23 adapted. to open and close an aperture in a partition- 24 in the body of the device. A second apertured partition 25 is in said body spaced from partition 24, andan air line 26 extends from the portion of the valve below partition 25'to a point adjacent Thus upon turning the bottom of the f ount I. the valve 23 in one direction` all communication between the atmosphere and inside the fount through line 26 is closed, but upon turning the f niter wick secured yto said tube adjacent its outer end for igniting oil as discharged from the latter l 2| that may be drawnlfrom the holder as -it f burns away, and which .wick is positioned to valve inthe opposite direction, a communication isV established through the several compartments in the device 22.

In operation, upon tilting the fount I topplerative position in which the spout extends slant-` ingly downwardly, the balll I6 rolls automatically away from its seat I5 permitting the fuel oil,

such as kerosene vfor example, to flow through the spoutk and kout of the discharge aperture in mission of air to the fount is through the device 22, thevvalve 23 having previously been opened.

Adjustment of valve 23 vmay be readily accomplished, but ignition of gas inside the fount through said devicey is precluded by reason of its structure. Y

Upon discontinuing use of the torch, the samev is restored to a position in which the` spout` is vertical or is tilted upwardly. In either event, oil

through the spout lintofthe font andV alsov discharge of'gas from the fount through the spout. Also the ball IIi will automatically roll to seal-- ing position lon seat I5 further insuring against the possibility of accidental ignition of'gas'in the fount as well as against the formation of a trapped in loop I8 will preclude passage of air dangerously combustible mixture in said fount.

againstleakage This result is accomplished'by unscrewing the sealing ring 5 and inverting the topplate 4 (Fig. 2) so'that the spout will extend intothe fount. The outer endof passageway I3 .outwardly of seat I5 is threaded, and a threadedl when the Vfount is in vsaidtipped position,l a gravity actuated valve at the inner endr of said tube adjacent said fount movable to a position opening vsaid tube to ow of` fuel from the fount therethrough whenv said fount isin said tipped 1 position and automatically movable to a position closing said tube tol-flow of fluid therethrough cally from said head and having adischarge aper- I ture at its upper end, a handle at o'ne side of said fount for holding the latter in tipped position with the said tubev extending slantingly downwardly from said head for discharge of o il from said aperture, a loop formed in said tube adjacent said aperture providing a fueltrap, `an ig-- niter wick secured to said tube adjacent its outerv end for igniting oil as discharged from the latter when the fount is` in said tipped position, a gravity actuated valve at the inner end of said tube adjacent said fount movable to a position opening said tube to ow of fuel fromthe fount therethrough when said fount is in'said tipped position and automaticallymovable to apposition closing said tube to flow of fluid therethrough when said fount is restored to vertical position, said valve being somovable' to said position closing said tube when said tube is horizontal in its movement from said tipped position to vertical.

3. A torch of the vcharacter described comprising a vertically elongated oil `fount having a bottom anda head closing the upper end thereof, a spout in the formv of a tube extending vertically from said head and having a discharge aperture atr its upper'end and opening into the upper 'end of said fount at its lower end, a handle at one side of said fountfor holding ther latter in tipped position ywith the said tube extending slantingly downwardly from said head for discharge of oil from said aperture, a loop formed in said tube adjacent said aperture providing afuel trap, an igniter Awick secured to said tube adjacent ,its outer end for igniting oil vas discharged from the latter whenthe fount is in said tipped positiona gravity actuated valve at the inner end of said tube adjacent vsaid fount movable to a position opening said tube to flow of fuel from the fount therethrough when said fount is in said tipped position and automatically' movable to av position closing said tube to f1ow of lluid therethrough whenV said fount is restored to vertical position,

the remainder of said tube between saidv loop andvv said fount being straight, and said loop being offset to the side of the axis of said remainder that is opposite the side of the fount that carries said handle wherebysaid loop will lbe on the underside of said axis when the fount is in said tipped position.

4. A torch of the character described comprising a vertically elongated oil fount having abottom and a head closing the upper end thereof,.a spout in the form of a tube extending vertically from said head and having a discharge aperture at 'its yupper end, a handle at one side of said fount for holding the latter in tipped position with the said tube extending slantingly downwardly from said head for discharge of oil from said aperture, a loop formed in said tube adjacent said aperture providing a fuel trap, an igniter wick secured to said tube adjacent, its outer end for igniting oil as discharged from the latter when the fount is in said tipped position, the portion of said tube between said loop and said fount beingstraight, and said loop being offset to the side of the axis of said portion that isv opposite the side of the fount that carries said handle whereby said loop will be on the underside of said axis when the fount is in said tipped position, and a gravity actuated check valve at the inner end of said tube adjacent said head automatically movable to a position closing said tube to flow of fuel therefrom back into said fount when said tube is substantially horizontal during movement of the fount from 'said tipped position back to vertical.

5. A torch of the character described comprising a vertically extending oil fount provided with therethrough when said fount is positioned vertically with said spout extending upwardly therefrom and movable to a position opening said bore to said flow only when said fount and spout are moved to a substantially horizontally extending oil dispensing position with said Wick at the under side of said aperture, said valve being automatically movable by gravity to close said bore to said iiow when said fount/ and spout are moved from an elongated oil dispensing spout projecting upwardly from its upper end, said spout being prof vided with a discharge aperture at its outer end,

an igniter wick secured to said spout adjacent said aperture and offset to one side thereof, a gravity actuated valve in a portion ofthe bore of said spout closing said bore to flow of liquid said dispensing position toward vertical and just past the position at which said valve is adapted to open.

6. A torch of the character described comprising a vertically extending oil fount provided with an elongated oil dispensing spout projecting upwardly from its upper end, said spout being provided with a discharge aperture at its outer end, an igniter wick secured to said spout adjacent said aperture and offset to one side thereof,. a

cally movable by gravity to close said bore to said flow when said fount and spout are moved from said dispensing positiontoward vertical and just past the position at which said Valve is adapted to open, said valve being a ball and the said portion of said bore being inclined in a direction downwardly from the end thereof nearest said aperture when said spout is substantially horizontal With the said wick below said aperture, an annular seat for said ball positioned at the lower vend of said portion when said portion is in said inclined position.

ROBERT ST. J. ORR. 

